DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA — For too long, farming has been seen as a last resort: hard, manual work for the elderly or for those who could not find a formal job. Geoffrey Kirenga, Chief Executive Officer of the Agricultural Growth Corridors of Tanzania (AGCOT), says that view no longer reflects the opportunity before the country’s young people.
In an address to Tanzania’s youth, Mr Kirenga described agriculture as a modern business with a future and urged young Tanzanians to step into it.
“Agriculture is not an activity for the elderly alone, nor is it a job for those who have failed to find employment,” he said. “No. Agriculture is business, agriculture is science, agriculture is technology and, above all, agriculture is a great opportunity to build wealth and change the lives of young Tanzanians.”
A country blessed with the means to lead
Mr Kirenga spoke of his love for Tanzania and for agriculture, which he called the heart of the nation’s economy, the foundation of life for most Tanzanians and one of the key pillars that can carry the country to greater development.
Tanzania, he noted, is blessed with fertile land, water sources, a good climate and abundant resources, which place it among the countries best placed to lead on food production in Africa.
You do not need a large farm to enter the sector
One of the most common assumptions among young entrepreneurs is that farming requires owning land. Mr Kirenga challenged it directly.
“Today, a young person can enter the agricultural sector without even owning a large farm,” he said. “There are opportunities in production, processing, transport, food storage, the trade in inputs, agricultural technology, and in markets at home and abroad.”
Across the value chain, that opens doors for young people with ideas, among them:
- Processing and value addition: turning harvests into packaged and processed products.
- Transport and storage: moving and storing produce safely so that less of it is lost.
- Agricultural technology: building digital tools for farmers and for markets.
- Input supply: providing the seeds, nutrients and equipment farmers need.
- Market access: connecting producers to buyers in Tanzania and beyond.
“We need young people with new ideas, who dare to invest, who use technology, and who see agriculture as a business with a great future,” he said.
Partnership at the centre of AGCOT’s work
AGCOT, formerly known as the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT), is a national public-private partnership (PPP) that extends the corridor approach across the country. Mr Kirenga said that through AGCOT, the Centre continues to strengthen cooperation among government, the private sector, farmers, investors and other stakeholders, in order to open up investment opportunities, raise productivity, strengthen value chains and support agricultural development and the wellbeing of Tanzanians in different parts of the country.
Tanzania Development Vision 2050 begins today
Mr Kirenga linked his message directly to Tanzania Development Vision 2050 (Dira 2050).
“When we talk about the national Development Vision 2050, we are talking about a Tanzania with a strong economy, competitive industries, modern technology, productive jobs and citizens with a better quality of life,” he said. “And I believe we cannot reach those goals without making major reforms in the agricultural sector.”
He set out the kind of country he wants to see: one that does not grow crops only for domestic use, but also adds value to them, builds processing industries, opens international markets and creates jobs for millions of young people.
“The Tanzania of 2050 begins to be built today,” he said, “through the decisions we make, the investments we make and the way we use the resources we have.”
A call to young Tanzanians
Mr Kirenga closed with a direct appeal to young people to create opportunity rather than wait for it.
“Do not wait for opportunities to come to you. Go and look for them. Learn, innovate, use technology and dare to enter the agricultural sector,” he urged.
“I believe in the power of Tanzania’s youth. I believe in the power of agriculture. And I believe that by working together, we can make Tanzania a nation with food security, a competitive economy and many opportunities for development. At AGCOT, together we are advancing agricultural transformation, unlocking opportunities and building a better future for Tanzania. For agriculture is not only our life today; it is the foundation of the Tanzania we long for in 2050.”
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